Thursday, June 30, 2016

"Lt. Bill North, Santa Monica City Lifeguard Service”, by Susan North Weeks


"Lt. Bill North, Santa Monica City Lifeguard Service”, by Susan North Weeks


I am going to try to write a little something about my dad...

My dad was in both the First and Second World wars.  He was chasing Pancho Villa at the Texas border when he was called away to World War I.  He was shot, probably by friendly fire, in the hip while trying to cross the Rio Grande.  He served in the National Guard Infantry in WW I.  He was a sergeant in WW II stationed in Italy and North Africa.  It was in North Africa that they named a beach after him, North’s Cove.  He was stationed there to help soldiers rehabilitate.  He also taught them to swim.

He worked for the Santa Monica Lifeguard Service from July 4, 1941 to February 1, 1964.   He was a lieutenant.  In 1945, he was furloughed, then assigned to the Rehabilitation Center at the Del Mar Club.


Description of photos:

1.  North’s Cove, North Africa, May 1944.  Bill North is the tan one.





2.  Rehabilitation Center at Del Mar Club, May 1945.  Bill had his back to us, sitting on the ground.



3.  Penalty Box with SM Pier in background, Bill North, July 1942



4.  North beach lifeguards.  Bill North = first row, first on left.  About 1951. Others are Bob Walthour, Don Wolfe, Buzzy Trent, Leonard Chapin, Keith Nicholson, Rudy Kroon, Ralph Diana, Fred Bleecker, Captain Watkins, Bill Bowen, Roland Ball, Tommy Zahn, Don Grebs, Bill Campbell.  Billy North = boy sitting on tower.


5.  Junior Lifeguards with Bill North at far left, Rudy Kroon, Don McMahon and Susan North front center.  About 1950.


And just for fun, I have a list of lifeguards that graduated from Santa Monica High School:

Pete (Preston) Peterson ‘36
Tom Zahn ‘42
John Howe ‘42
Dave Rochlen ’43 (Jams surf wear) surfer only, not guard
Joe Quigg ‘43
Rudy Gonzales ‘43
Ngaire North ’43 (my half-sister)
Doreen Francis North ’43 (my mother)
Mickey Farley ‘45
Porter Vaughn ‘46
Keith Nickelson ‘46
Matt Kivlin ‘47
Gene Poole ‘48
Buzzy Trent ‘48
Mickey Munoz ‘54
Nick Steers ’64 (same year I graduated but we didn’t know each other)
Arthur C. Verge ’74 (St. Monica’s) (I babysat him!)

Yes, Tom Zahn, John Howe, Dave Rochlen, my mother and my half-sister all went to school together and knew each other.

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*** “Lt. Bill North, Santa Monica City Lifeguard Service” by & Copyright Susan North Weeks 2016.  All photos courtesy of Susan North Weeks. Used here with permission. ****

x-ref:  Per Susan North Weeks, additional information and photos can be found "in Arthur C. Verge’s book, Santa Monica Lifeguards.  My dad is on page 55.  My mother worked with Arthur providing photos.  She is in the acknowledgments.  I also have Arthur’s book “Los Angeles County Lifeguards”.  My dad is on pages 43, 59, 69, 75, (and on) 84 (he is) the short one (standing in full uniform with hat above the sign) between the A and the R in “lifeguard”.

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*** Many Thanks to Susan North Weeks for sharing this story with all of us. We really appreciate it! 


Until next time.....

"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

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Rookie Spotlight

Dateline: Thursday afternoon, June 30, 2016... on our way back from Long Beach today... we stopped by White's Point on the Palos Verdes Peninsula where we were directed by the beach supervisor to say hello to the rookie out at the White's Point Hot Box...  which we did and where we met OL Dempsey Haynosch.  I recognized her from the rookie graduation ceremony on June 18th (see two photos below).



Here are the photos from today at White's Point.  Check out Dempsey's great footwear for protecting her feet as she has to climb over a great many rocks while on patrol and during water rescues.




And according to her supervisor, she is doing a great job and has keen ocean observation skills and he also mentioned that she is quite an accomplished surfer and has even surfed Pipeline.



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Until next time.....

"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

(All photos by & Copyright Will Maguire 2016.)

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Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Will Rogers JG Audit: Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Dateline: Will Rogers State Beach, Pacific Palisades, California.  We arrived at approximately 8:30 a.m. to prepare for our audit of the LACoFD Lifeguard Operations JG program which just began its summer session yesterday...  Here are the photos and videos...
























*** Video Alert ! ***

JG's On The Run: The Video

      https://youtu.be/SOX78kD9iAM

Below, JG "A" Group Instructors, L2R, Lance Keene and Chuck Locko discuss the day's calendar...


"Video Alert ! ***

Locko & Keene: The Interview

     https://youtu.be/nJxS5LvxUUA



meanwhile someone volunteers for the duty of swimming out the JG buoy, anchor and line (aka, ball & chain)... but she's got a smile on her face and is glad to do it!...


Got her fins on too!...







OL/JG Instructor, Lacey Beatie, leading her group of JG's...








*** Video Alert ! ***

•  County Recurrent Gets Wet: The Video

     https://youtu.be/U4wRVM3-1fE


•  The A's Hit The Surf: The Video

     https://youtu.be/IgrLKs7fyXI

 •  Sand Bar: The Video

     https://youtu.be/9lZCZ2TEOuc


... Back on shore we shoot some more photos and videos...





Below, the A's huddle up with their instructors...


Veteran LACo OL/JG Instructor, Cheri Ellington, below, waves to us... Hi Cheri!



*** Video Alert ! ***

•  OLS Tim Gair Off Duty: The Video


     https://youtu.be/Mz8YkSfYK4w

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•  Go Pro Camera Gone Rogue: The Video 


      https://youtu.be/qvVbXd0owfM

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... and with that we packed it in, showered at WRHQ and headed for the parking lot..... where we saw OL Coral Kemp's fiance heading to his vehicle for his OT shift at Will Rogers North...


LAFD was also on scene getting their morning workouts in while they can.....


and Will Rogers Capt. Robert Torres wipes down his area vehicle...


and last but not least, apparently the resident Hawkeye JG Instructor at Will Rogers is back for another summer of fun!...


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Until next time.....

"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

(All photos and videos by & Copyright Will Maguire 2016.)

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